The SMS initiative was awarded 2nd prize in the Charity Awards 2020 sponsored by Springer Medizin. With the Charity Award, Springer Medizin honors foundations, organizations and institutions that show outstanding social commitment to healthcare in Germany. This year's digital presentation of the Charity Award took place on October 22, 2020 as part of the Springer Medizin Gala 2020. The award winners were selected by an independent jury of experts on the basis of the criteria of social commitment, sustainability, role model effect and social relevance. The patron of the Springer Medizin Charity Award is the Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn.

The initiative “SMS. Be smart. Join in. Be fit.", which is supported by the association Düsseldorfer Kids mit PFIFF and scientifically accompanied by the German Diabetes Center (DDZ), was awarded 20,000 euros and additional media services amounting to 30,000 euros. The SMS initiative is committed to healthy childhood development and long-term prevention of overweight and lifestyle-related diseases.

"We are very pleased about the award and the great appreciation of our commitment. It is of great importance to us to inspire children and raise their awareness at an early age regarding the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise, thus paving the way for a healthy lifestyle. The money will help us to further advance the SMS project and enable even more children to participate," said SMS project manager Professor Karsten Müssig, underlining the significance of the award for the SMS initiative.

The Charity Award is sponsored by Springer Medizin, the Vendus Group, which is active in the healthcare sector, and the law firm Ehlers, Ehlers & Partner, which specializes in medical law.

The initiative “SMS. Be smart. Join in. Be fit." led by Professor Karsten Müssig at Düsseldorf and Neuss primary schools seeks to counteract overweight/obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases in childhood and adolescence. The participating children receive two additional sports lessons per week and learn the basics of a balanced diet and the practical handling of food and kitchen equipment in the nutrition pilot license program. In addition, the students receive relaxation exercises and instructions on how to regulate stress within the framework of a sensory classroom.

The health insurance company IKK classic, the organization diabetesDE – German Diabetes Aid, the Sports Department of Düsseldorf, and other renowned partners and prominent people support the project and provide the participating school children with additional attractive venues for learning outside of school. The patron of the initiative is Thomas Geisel, former mayor of the state capital Düsseldorf. The SMS initiative was awarded the support logo of IN FORM, Germany’s initiative to promote healthy diets and physical activity, and the GUT DRAUF label of the German Center for Health Education (BZgA) and was accepted as an exemplary project and member of the state initiative "Healthy North Rhine-Westphalia".

For more information, see: www.sms-mach-mit.de